


Takeaways II

by Denois



Series: Drabblefest 2019 [2]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Drabble Collection, Established Relationship, Fictober, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and stuff, Future Fic, Getting Together, Light Angst, M/M, Pining, dex pov, proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-03
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2020-12-01 19:22:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 12,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20873255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Denois/pseuds/Denois
Summary: Drabble fills for Fictober 2019Featuring NurseyDex from Dex's POV.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 1 Prompt: "It will be fun, trust me"

“It will be fun, trust me.” 

Dex didn’t look at Nursey. It was too much to hope. He didn’t want to see the same skeptical look on his face. 

Nursey had no reason to trust him. That was the crux of the matter, really. Their friendship hadn’t come easy. Both of them had to work on trusting the other. Before they’d even finished their frog year, Dex had known that he would list Nursey as one of his best friends. But Nursey had no reason to feel the same way. No reason to trust him at all, all things considered.

“Ok, Chill. If you say it’ll be fun, I’ll go camping with you.”

“Really? You think it sounds fun?”

“No, I think it sounds like I’m signing up for a remake of the Blair Witch Project. But if you say it’ll be fun, then chill. You won’t let any witches get me.”

“No. I won’t. But how do you know that?”

“You worry about me, Poindexter.”

“Since when do you know that?” Dex wasn’t sure if his eyes should be wide in shock or squinted in confusion and he had no idea what the result was because he was too busy turning to stare at Nursey.

“It was suggested that I pay attention.”

“Suggested?”

“Quite forcefully.”

Dex paused and felt his heart skip a beat as something horrible occurred to him. “What else have you noticed?”

Nursey, damn him, just kept looking at Dex placidly. “I _think_ I noticed that you like me.”

“Think?” Dex’s voice broke for the first time in years on the word.

“Ch’yeah. But I hope I’m right, because I like you.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 2 prompt: “Just follow me, I know the area.”

“Just follow me, I know the area.”

Dex made the statement with perhaps more confidence than he should have. But since he was the one who’d actually been to Orono before, and since he did know this particular part of it fairly well, he felt justified in the comment. 

He also wasn’t sure how they’d managed to get permission to be away from the team while on a roadie during playoffs. And he wasn’t going to think too hard about that or he’d start to suspect that Nursey had lied about them having permission. Would Nursey lie about having permission in order to get Dex to assist him with fulfilling his craving for greasy food? Yes. No question. So, it was better not to question if they actually had permission.

Plus, he was pretty sure that if he so much as hinted that he wasn’t sure where they were going then Nursey would order an Uber or a Lyft and with the playoffs in town, those had to be outrageously expensive. Not worth it. 

He started walking. Well, he tried to.

“Are you holding my belt loops?”

“Ch’yeah.”

“Why?”

“So I don’t get lost. You said to follow you. Don’t want to lose you in the crowd.”

Dex licked his lips. It’s not like Nursey could have failed to notice that, it being nearly midnight, there was a distinct lack of crowds on the sidewalk. He held out his hand. “Might be easier just to hold this.”

“Chill.” 

Dex rolled his eyes, but as Nursey laced their fingers together, he had to admit that it was pretty chill.

“Does this mean I get to buy you a beer?”

“No.”

“Oh. Chill.” 

Dex wasn’t sure when he’d learned the nuances of Nursey’s “chill”s, but he knew that he always hated it when he was the cause of that version.

“That would be illegal, Nurse. I’m not twenty-one yet.”

“Right. Yeah. I knew that.” 

They walked in silence for a few minutes.

“But I could buy your burger.”

Dex didn’t have to turn to know that Nursey was staring at him. He kept his gaze focused on the path in front of them. 

“Chill. But then you have to help me eat the fries.”

“Ok.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 3 prompt: “Now? Now you listen to me?”

“Now? Now you listen to me?” Dex stared at Nursey.

“Ch’yeah. I always listen to you, Poindexter.” Nursey, damn him, didn’t have the decency to look abashed, or ashamed, or anything other than gorgeous.

“Since when? Name one time you’ve listened to me?” Dex knew he should stop gesturing broadly. He had long arms. They were in public. He might hit someone. He tried to pull his hands back in and keep them tucked.

“Chill. Pretty much every time you warn me about hurting myself.”

Dex was starting to feel like a cartoon character. This was absurd. This was a prank. This was completely incredible, unbelievable, and inconceivable. “You _never_ listen to me when I warn you about hurting yourself!”

Nursey tilted his head. “Technically, yes I do. I just ignore your warnings.”

Dex gaped. “What?”

“I mean, I appreciate that you’re always looking out for me, got my back and all that, and you don’t want me to get hurt. But…” Nursey trailed off and shrugged his shoulders. “Some things are worth the experience even if I get hurt.”

Dex shook his head, trying to wrap his brain around not worrying about doctor bills.

“Which kind of brings us back to my question. When and where, Poindexter?” Nursey was watching him with raised eyebrows. A studied, relaxed posture. An easy half smile. A facade. A charade. A mask of chill.

Dex was surprised by how much he hated seeing Nursey put up a false front for him. A veneer to protect himself in case Dex hurt him. Because that’s what he’d just admitted, wasn’t it? He expected Dex to hurt him, but he wanted the experience anyway.

How many times was Dex going to have to show Nursey that all he wanted to do was keep him from being hurt?

“Saturday at seven work for you?”

“Chill. It’s a date.”

“Yes. That’s exactly what it is.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 4 prompt: “I know you didn’t ask for this.”

“I know you didn’t ask for this.” Dex grimaced and shoved the package into Nursey’s hands before he rethought all of his life’s choices up to that point and ran away.

“Oh, chill. You were my-”

“Yeah. I was your secret santa. I’m sorry, it wasn’t on your list. I need to get to lab.”

“It’s not secret santa!” Nursey called after him as he walked off.

Dex lifted a hand in response and just kept walking. 

Lab helped him. He had to focus on his work, so he couldn’t think too much about the gift or Nursey. Plus, it was three hours long which was plenty of time for Nursey to open the gift, dismiss it as junk, dispose of it somewhere, and go to his poetry seminar. Because that’s where Nursey would be when Dex’s lab finished, meaning Dex would have forty-five minutes to get to the Haus and down to his bungalow where he could lock the door and put on headphones and pretend he didn’t exist.

It was a foolproof plan. 

It was not a Nursey-proof plan.

When Dex walked out of the building, Nursey was sitting on a bench facing the doors. Dex turned and started walking to the Haus. It was possible Nursey was there for some other reason. Nursey fell into step beside him, dashing that hope.

“So, when you said it wasn’t on my list, that it was something I didn’t ask for, you made it sound like an apology.”

“Ayuh.”

“Chill. It’s just, apologies are usually for bad things.”

Dex wasn’t sure where Nursey was going with this. The chirp had to be coming, he just couldn’t figure out from where. So, he hunched his shoulders and clenched his teeth. He told himself that it didn’t matter what Nursey said. Nursey’s opinion of him _wasn’t_ the only thing that mattered, and it’s not like it could get any lower anyway. 

“You have class.”

“I showed it to my professor and classmates. Lots of things were said about it.” 

Dex grunted. There it was. Nursey’d shown the poor excuse for a present to his poetry friends and now he had their input on the ridicule as well.

“Things like ‘exquisite’ and ‘need me a man like that’ and ‘wait, he’s not your boyfriend’ and ‘can I have his number’.”

Dex looked over at Nursey out of the corner of his eyes, suspicious.

“Which was approximately when I realized my mistake in showing a bunch of poetry nerds the hand-bound volume of my poetry that you made without asking you out first. Luckily, my prof sensed my distress and allowed me to miss today’s lecture so that I could try to beat the crowd.”

Dex stopped and turned to stare at Nursey. “Look, I have no idea what you’re talking about. Can we skip to the part where you chirp me for making your present instead of buying it and then I can go study?”

Nursey stared at him for a moment. “Apparently, I’m not expressing myself very well if you think I’m here to chirp you.” 

“Why else would you be here?” Dex spread his arms and then let them fall to his sides.

“To ask you out.”

Dex narrowed his eyes. That didn’t make sense. “That’s the chirp, then? You ask me out as a joke? Poor kid is dumb enough to believe that the rich, smart, funny, beautiful guy actually likes him? Sorry, you’re not the first to try that one on me.” Dex turned to start walking again, but Nursey grabbed his arm.

Nursey dropped his hand as soon as Dex stopped moving again. “Chill, Poindexter. I’m not chirping you. It’s not a joke. I like you. I want to date you.” Nursey held up the book that Dex had made and gestured towards it. “I kind of thought maybe this meant you liked me, too.” 

Dex swallowed and held his ground. So what if he’d put extra thought and care into Nursey’s gift. So what if he’d borrowed his uncle’s actual good book binding tools instead of the DIY ones he’d been using to make things for his cousins. So what if he’d carefully combed through store after store looking for the perfect material for the cover. So what if he’d approached Chowder, and Nursey’s professors, and some of Nursey’s poetry friends for help in getting copies of Nursey’s poems. So what if he’d traded repair work for fancy printing on fancy paper. “Prove it.”

“Prove it? What? That I like you?”

Dex nodded. 

Nursey blinked. “Chill. I could hire a skywriter or shout it on the quad, but I think that would annoy you more than anything.” He looked at Dex for a moment and then stepped close, lifting a hand to Dex’s cheek. “May I?”

Dex nodded again.

Nursey’s lips were soft, and slightly strawberry flavored. He moved slowly and gently against Dex, his thumb grazing Dex’s cheek as he adjusted their lips. 

Dex felt like he was melting and he steadied himself with hands at Nursey’s hips. When he sighed and opened his mouth, Nursey took the opportunity to deepen the kiss with tongue. Dex clenched his hands and pulled Nursey’s hips closer.

A few more moments and they separated. Nursey rested his forehead on Dex’s while they breathed heavily for a moment. 

“Chill.” Nursey paused and took another deep breath. “So, do you want to go out?”

“Ayuh. Sure. I might need some more evidence though. At the Haus.”

Nursey grinned and Dex’s eyes fixated on how nice it was to make him smile like that. Unfortunately, they had to separate to start walking again. Somewhat. Nursey managed to have most of his body still pressed to Dex while they walked.

“That I can do. Also, just out of curiosity, can I get the name and address of whoever it was that asked you out as a joke?”

“Nurse.”

“What? I just want to make sure they are aware of what a colossal mistake they made.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 5 prompt: “I might just kiss you.”

“I might just kiss you.” Dex knocked his helmet against Nursey’s with a grin.

Nursey had been grinning while he cellied, but at Dex’s words, the grin froze and his eyes widened. “Okay.”

Before either of them could say anything else, the rest of the team started slamming into them and screaming in their ears. He felt a weight hit his back and reached down to grab Chowder’s legs, not an easy feat with the goalie pads. 

“Dex! We won! We’re champions!”

Dex grinned. “Nursey’s shot from blue line was amazing, right? Right before the buzzer.”

“Chyeah, but that was a hella swawesome takeaway! I thought for sure he was about to shoot on me and then you got the puck and got it to Nursey!”

Most of the team was piling on Nursey, which was deserved because he’d got the game winning goal and kept them from going to overtime.

Amidst all the cheering and incoherent screaming, he heard someone yell out, “Yeah, the Dex-Nursey one-two!”

He shook his head with a laugh. “Call it the Nursey-Dex one-two. He gets the goal!”

He didn’t have a chance to talk to Nursey again until they were back at the hotel. Nursey spun around and then dropped onto one of the beds. “I can’t believe it, Poindexter. Game winning goal. From the blue line!”

Dex smiled and rubbed the back of his neck. He was still standing a bit away, watching Nursey. “Hey, so, about what I said during the celly….”

“Chill, bro. I know you didn’t mean it. The adrenaline and stuff, right.” It was Nursey’s chill voice.

Dex rolled his eyes and strode over to where Nursey was still laying. He grabbed Nursey and pulled him into a sitting position before tilting his chin up. “Nurse, shut the fuck up.” 

There was barely a stutter of hesitation as Dex’s lips met Nursey’s before Nursey grabbed his shirt and pulled him down onto the bed. Somehow, they managed not to injure themselves in the resulting tangle of limbs.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 6 Prompt: “Yes, I’m aware. Your point?”

“Yes, I’m aware. Your point?”

“My point, Poindexter, is that since we have a bye this week, we have a weekend with no game for the first time in awhile.”

Dex started to open his mouth, but Nursey continued speaking. 

“And my point with that is that I know you wouldn’t have scheduled something when we might have had a game, so you should still be free this weekend. And I’m free this weekend.” Nursey stopped talking after that.

Dex stared at him for a moment. “I’m not helping you throw a kegster at the start of playoffs.”

“Chill. That’s not-”

“Kegster? Alright!” Louis fist bumped Tango as they exited the locker room. 

Nursey’s face twisted and his shoulders drooped.

“Nurse. You weren’t going to say something about a kegster. Were you?”

“No. It’s chill though.”

Dex sighed. “Just say what you were trying to say.”

Nursey huffed something that sounded like “easier said than done” as he looked at the opposite wall. “I was going to ask if you wanted to go out this weekend. Like, on a date.”

“Oh.” Dex blinked as his brain finished processing that information. “Oh.” He blinked again. Not even in his wildest dreams had he considered that Nursey might ask him out. Though, he really shouldn’t consider what Nursey _had_ asked him in his wildest dreams, not while they were in the locker room talking.

“It’s chill. Forget about it.” Nursey’s voice broke through with an air of forced chill.

Dex held up a hand, and then slowly let it fall onto Nursey’s arm. “I can be the bad guy. I can tell them no on the kegster. No problem.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m saying, I can say no kegster so we don’t have to monitor it. I’m saying…” He trailed off and licked his lips. “I’m saying yes to the date.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 7 Prompt: “No, and that’s final.”

“No, and that’s final.”

Nursey stuck out his lower lip in a truly magnificent pout and Dex had to turn and bury his face in the pillow to avoid seeing it. He had a hard time denying Nursey anything that wasn’t directly related to health and safety, and Nursey knew that. Nursey knew that and used his knowledge for evil rather than good. 

“But why not? Please?” There was a wheedle of a whine in Nursey’s voice.

Dex was pretty sure that it was fake. He was pretty sure that Nursey was playing it up to get him to change his mind. Nursey’s hands on his ribs was encouraging that assumption. With a sigh, he rolled onto his side so that he could look at Nursey again. 

“We tried living together before. It didn’t work.”

“Chill, but that was _before_.”

“And what’s changed?” 

Nursey looked at him, then down his body and over to his own body and back up before landing on Dex’s face again and raising an eyebrow.

“That’s not a good reason for me to move back upstairs.”

“I think that it’s a great reason for you to move upstairs.”

Dex pressed his lips together. “So if we went up there right now, all your laundry would be in the hamper and not strewn around the room?”

“First, good use of the word strewn. Second, if we went up there right now, we’d probably have to tell the team about us because we’re _naked_. Actually, they might figure it out without us telling. And third, no, but if I was sharing the room with my boyfriend, then I’d keep it tidy for him.”

Dex sat up. “Boyfriend?”

Nursey pushed himself up as well and wrapped his arms around his waist. He glanced over at Dex and then away. “Chill. We never discussed it. If you want to keep it casual, that’s chill.”

“I just figured you would want to keep it casual. And quiet.”

“Casual and quiet. Yeah. Chill.” Nursey huffed air and seemed to withdraw even more.

Dex kicked himself mentally. He wasn’t even trying to pick a fight. He took a deep breath and reminded himself that his emotions were valid, just not helpful right then. “No. Not like that. Just like. Because of me.” He ran his hands through his hair and scratched his nails over his scalp as he pulled them back through. “It’s like, news report: Heir To Nurse Family Fortune Dating Maine Lobsterman. Or tabloid headline: Nurse Fortune At Risk From Gold Digging Mainer.”

“You aren’t a gold digger. You won’t even let me buy you dinner.” This time the pout was real.

“No, I won’t. But does it matter? That’s how everyone will see it. That’s how your dad will see it.”

Nursey finally turned and looked at him again, his jaw tight. “So? They’re wrong and I don’t care what they think. This is about us, it should be between us. Do _you_ want to be my boyfriend?”

Dex met his gaze and didn’t hesitate. “Ayuh. Nothing I want more.” 

Nursey’s shoulders dropped and he softened, letting his hands fall into his lap. “Ok. Chill.”

With a sigh, Dex moved around on the bed until he was behind Nursey and could hug him with his chin over Nursey’s shoulder. “Can’t believe you want to date me.”

“Me neither.” Nursey laughed at his own chirp until Dex poked him in the ribs.

“I’m still not moving back upstairs.”

“Why noooot?” 

Dex smiled as Nursey returned to the fake pouty whine from earlier. 

“Because the walls up there are very thin and I soundproofed the bungalow.”

“Oh….” Nursey twisted in his arms and pushed him back down on the bed, capturing his lips in a kiss. “You should have just said.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 8 Prompt: “Can you stay?”

“Can you stay?”

Nursey paused, hand on the doorknob. “What?”

One deep breath, two, and Dex was pretty sure he could hold onto the thread of bravery that had overcome him. “Can you stay?”

Nursey turned around and looked at him, confusion evident on his face. “You said you needed to go to bed because you’ve got an early class in the morning.”

“Ayuh. I do.”

He looked over at the laptop on Dex’s coffee table, its screen already black. “You decided you want to watch another episode anyway?”

His shoulders fell and he let all the air out of his lungs in a quiet sigh. “Yeah. I mean, if you want to. That would be, that would be great.”

He closed his eyes and leaned back against the small loveseat they’d been sharing. Nursey was letting him down easy. Trying to keep him from ruining their friendship. Dex ran his hand over the side of his thigh where Nursey’s had been pressed, warming it, due to the small couch. This was why Nursey was the smart one. He thought things through and found ways out of the awkward situations that Dex put them in. 

He had no idea what had possessed him to ask in the first place. To ask Derek Malik Nurse. Derek Nurse, who had been referred to as “the complete package” in the Swallow’s 50 Hottest Wellies edition. Derek Nurse, his d-line partner. Derek Nurse, son of one of the richest men in the world. Derek Nurse, somehow one of his best friends. Derek Nurse, smartest, funniest, best looking, most frustrating guy that Dex knew. 

Derek Nurse, who was sitting down next to him again. “I don’t know much about this type of laptop. I’m not a computer guy like you. But, uh, my macbook I have to start it up if I want to watch things on it.”

“Ayuh. My laptop requires that, too.”

“Chill. It’s just. It’s still off.”

Dex nodded and started to lean forward to turn the laptop back on, but he was interrupted by a yawn he couldn’t hold back, so he tried to hide it in his far shoulder.

When he started to lean forward again, Nursey put a hand on his knee and Dex stopped abruptly to stare at it.

“Poindexter.”

“Nurse.”

“You weren’t asking me to continue watching another episode with you. Were you?”

Dex licked his lips. “Nah. It’s fine. I can make it through another episode.”

“Dex.”

“Nursey.”

“Will.”

“Derek.” Dex finally looked over at Nursey, unsure why they were calling each other by their first names. Or why Nursey’s hand was still on his knee.

“Were you asking me to stay the night?”

“Ayuh. It doesn’t matter. Forget about it. Let’s just watch the episode.”

Before Dex could lean towards the laptop again, Nursey’s hand slid a few inches up his thigh. Still a perfectly innocent spot. Still nothing sexual or overt. But it was a significant movement.

“Chill, but what if my answer to staying the night is also yes?”

Dex turned to look at Nursey again. “Yeah?” 

The question was barely a breath, but Nursey responded with a half smile almost immediately. “Yeah.” He stood up and kept his hand extended towards Dex. “Come on, Poindexter. Let’s get some sleep.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 9 prompt: "There is a certain taste to it."

“There is a…_certain_ taste to it.” Dex swallowed and took a sip of water. He wanted to drain the glass, but settled for a few small sips. 

“A certain taste.” Nursey looked dubious. “What kind of taste, Dexy?”

Dex lifted a shoulder in a half shrug. “Depends? Always salty. Sometimes sweet. Sometimes a bit bitter. There are factors.”

“Factors.”

“Ayuh. Factors.”

Nursey continued to stare at him, clearly unconvinced, and Dex felt his face heating. 

“Are you just trying to get me to say I don’t want to try it?”

“Why would I do that?” 

“I don’t know! You’re weird about what you’ll accept from me.”

Dex narrowed his eyes and studied Nursey’s face. “Accept from you? What’s that mean, Nurse?”

Nursey refused to meet his eyes for several long moments before finally breaking down. “Chill. Fine. I ordered a lobster clambake from Stop & Shop. For our anniversary.”

Dex stared at him for a moment before launching himself across the table to pull Nursey over for a kiss. When he finally pulled away, he had to sit and catch his breath for a moment while Nursey looked at him dazedly. 

“Ok, um. Chill?”

“Ayuh. Chill.” Dex smiled. “I thought you were going to make me go to some stuffy restaurant for our anniversary. A lobster clambake? That we can do. It won’t be as good as on the beach, but Stop & Shop usually provides actual seaweed, so it should be as close as we can get in Samwell.”

“We could go down to the Beach….”

“No. It’s going to be hard enough fending off the people who live here. I don’t want to fight the entire student body over our anniversary dinner, and probably end up with a citation for a fire without a permit.”

“Chill.” Nursey leaned over and pulled Dex in for a slower, softer kiss. 

Distantly, Dex registered the sound of his glass of water falling off the table, but it was plastic and there shouldn’t be anything that water could ruin in the area, so he ignored it.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 10 prompt: “Listen, I can’t explain it, you’ll have to trust me.”

“Listen, I can’t explain it, you’ll have to trust me.”

“Chill.”

Dex looked over at Nursey, but he didn’t seem to be chirping. “You’re a lot more agreeable than I expected you to be.”

Nursey shrugged. “You asked me to trust you and I trust you, Poindexter. You should probably expect that by now.”

Dex continued to stare at Nursey. “Since when do you trust me?”

“Um. Since forever. Yeah.” Nursey frowned slightly. “Though, lately it feels like you keep claiming you can’t explain things to me. Which feels like, idk, maybe you think I’m too dumb to understand. But still, you wouldn’t ask me to do something unless it was safe. And probably only to keep me safe. So. Chill.” He shrugged again.

They continued for a few minutes in silence. Dex kept turning Nursey’s words over in his head. First, the revelation that Nursey actually did trust him, and apparently had for awhile. Then his brain skidded over the fact that Nursey thought that Dex thought he was dumb. Dex came to an abrupt stop. “I don’t think you’re too dumb.”

“Chill. It’s ok, Poindexter.”

“Listen. I’m serious. I don’t think you’re dumb. You’re wicked smart. Way smarter than me, especially with words. I can’t explain things because I don’t have the right words and I’ll fuck it up and you’ll realize how dumb I am.”

“Ok, well, that’s the dumbest thing you’ve ever said.”

Dex pressed his lips together and turned to keep moving.

“I don’t think you’re dumb, Poindexter. Because you aren’t. You know a ton of stuff that no one else on the team does. What do you care what I think anyway?”

Dex snorted. “Why do you think? Because I love you.” Might as well admit the full extent of how dumb he was.

“William Jacob Poindexter. You are full of surprises and the best words.” 

That didn’t make any sense. Dex blinked and his brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of it. Then his hand was wrapped in Nursey’s. When he looked over, Nursey was lacing their fingers together and smiling.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 11 prompt: “It’s not always like this.”

“It’s not always like this.”

Nursey hummed against his skin and Dex shivered in response. “If you’re trying to claim that the sex won’t always be this great, I should warn you that I don’t believe you.”

He reached over and pulled his blanket around until it wrapped them both into a cocoon. “Uh. That wasn’t what I meant, but thanks for letting me know you have impossible standards.”

Nursey managed to wiggle up the bed, pressing kisses against Dex’s chest and throat as he moved until he could press one to Dex’s lips. “Standards-shmandards. Always be great because it’ll be us. No matter what actually happens, like, physically.”

“You’re such a sap. It’s true, but you’re a sap.”

“Hmm. You knew that when you asked me out.”

Letting himself get lost in the soft look on Nursey’s face would be easy. He’d done it before and he’d probably allow himself to do it again many times. He didn’t think he’d ever get over how soft and chill Nursey was when he was able to really relax. And again, it’s not like Nursey was wrong. He had known that Nursey was a romantic and a sap when he asked him out. It had factored heavily into his plans for the asking out. And into his plans for showing Nursey how much he loved him.

This was the wrong time for this conversation, if he was honest. But it needed to be said. He needed to give Nursey the option to cut and run before it would hurt even more. And before he lost his nerve.

“I mean, not all teams are as accepting as this one. Not all places are. Not all people are. I know my family will be okay with us. But what about your family? If I get signed, my teammates, and I mean, I don’t really want to hide our relationship, but fans would go after you, too. And I just. I don’t want you to have to go through that. You shouldn’t have to go through that for me-”

He was cut off by Nursey’s lips covering his own again. He expected it to be just a peck to interrupt the flow of words, he knew that when he was nervous he started spilling all his thoughts once he started. But instead, Nursey continued the kiss, long and languid.

When they finally separated, Nursey nuzzled in close to his ear. “My family will love you, because I do. Everyone else can fuck off. I make my own decisions and their dumbasses being bigots isn’t going to stop me.”

“Just, you don’t have to go through that for me. You shouldn’t go through that for me.”

“Will?”

“Ayuh?”

“Shut the fuck up. You aren’t getting rid of me and it’s cuddle time.”

Dex smiled against Nursey’s cheek.

“Derek?”

“Chyeah?”

“I love you.”

There was a pause as Nursey stretched a bit and then re-koala- ed onto Dex. “I know.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 12 prompt: “What if I don’t see it?”

“What if I don’t see it?”

“Keep looking, Poindexter. I know it’s under there.” 

Dex grumbled, but flattened himself further against the floorboards and pushed himself under the bed another few inches. He managed to snag some cloth that he was pretty sure were more of Nursey’s boxers that somehow ended up all over the Haus. He pushed them out of the way.

“I’m telling you, Nurse, your pen isn’t down here.” He swept the flashlight around once more to be sure he hadn’t missed it, but there was nothing else under the bed except dust and a couple of cheetos. He needed to come back up with a broom and clean that out.

Nursey sighed heavily behind him. “Chill. Ok. Sorry, Poindexter. I was sure I saw it bounce under the bed. Thanks for looking for me.”

“Ayuh.” Dex started trying to wiggle his way back out from under the bed without his shirt riding up and getting a stomach full of splinters. He made another mental note to sand and seal the floors. Who knows when the last time that was done in the Haus. 

Finally, he managed to extract himself and he turned the flashlight off before brushing himself to try to get some of the dust off of his shirt. Definitely needed to be swept out.

By the time he looked up to see Nursey, he could tell that Nursey had been holding his chillest expression for too long. He could tell because the expression was decidedly unchill. Nursey’s eyes were slightly too wide, his smile was approaching a grimace, and there was a wrinkle forming on his forehead. 

Then Dex registered that Nursey was kneeling on one knee and holding out a ring box. 

“Will-”

“No.”

“No?” The shock and sudden look of despair was far worse than the unchill expression. 

“Not no. But no, no, no, no. Derek. We haven’t even been dating a year. You can’t pull out a ring right now.”

Apparently, Nursey decided this meant “convince me!” because he smiled and took Dex’s hand. “Will, Dexilicious, Babe. You’re right. We haven’t been dating a year. But we’ve been line partners for years and you know that we are amazing together. We are better together than we are separate. We’ve fought, we’ve grown, we’ve learned how to communicate with each other. We know each other. And as long as we’re on the same team, we’ll continue growing together and working together and learning together. And we’ll continue to be great together.”

Dex licked his lips. It wasn’t untrue. They were great together. They had worked hard to get there and put in a lot of time and effort to be conscious and cognizant of each other’s needs. 

But it was still so soon. 

“William Poindexter, will you marry me?”

Dex closed his eyes. There wasn’t a universe in existence where he could say no to that question, not from Nursey.

“No.” 

“Oh. Chill.”

“Don’t ask me now. We need to be able to live together first. We didn’t even make it six weeks last time.” He paused and took a deep breath. “If you still want to marry me after living with me for six months, then yes. Of course.”

Nursey didn’t hesitate after that, pulling him and pressing their lips together. “I already spend like 90% of my time in your bungalow. I’ll move the rest of my stuff down right now. Six months, this ring lives on your finger.” 

“God, I hope so.” Dex pulled him back in for another kiss.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 13 prompt: “I never knew it could be this way.”

“I never knew it could be this way.”

Nursey looked over at him, incredulous. “Seriously, Poindexter?”

“Ayuh. I mean. Logically. Abstractly. I knew that first class existed. I knew private planes existed. But to actually imagine how it feels in one? Couldn’t do it.” Dex stretched out his legs and then pressed back in his seat, enjoying the ability to actually adjust and get comfortable.

Nursey was still looking at him weird. “It’s just a seat.”

“Nurse, I’ve flown all of two times in my life. And they were for the same trip, there and back. I was in economy class. My knees felt like they were in my chest. The arms of the seats were digging into my sides. And I’m just tall and muscley. I can only imagine how they must feel for people who are fatter than the airline thinks deserve to sit. But these seats? No wonder you like flying.”

Dex looked around and poked at the vents and buttons around the seat. Personal air conditioning, personal heating, a reading light. What else could this thing have? 

Apparently a call button because a flight attendant appeared. “How can I help you, sir?” 

“Oh, uh. Can I get a blanket?” He hadn’t actually planned to ask for a blanket, but it felt rude to call them over and not ask for something.

“Right away.” 

And then he had a blanket, and it was warmed. He spread it out over his lap. “You want in on this?”

“What?” 

“The blanket? It’s big enough. We could share.”

“Ch’yeah. Ok. Chill.” 

Dex spread the blanket over Nursey as well. Then he considered the armrest between them. Sure, the seats were big and roomy and comfortable, but still…. He put the armrest up and, just as he suspected, immediately Nursey started adjusting until they were pressed together and cuddling.

He stared around the cabin again with a slightly dazed smile. Tomorrow he could be angry about economy seating and why everyone didn’t get to be comfortable while flying. Today, he wanted to memorize every moment of this trip.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 14 prompt: “I can’t come back.”

“I can’t come back.”

“What?” Nursey’s voice cracked on the word and Dex knew he was about to lose any tenuous hold he had on chill.

“I-”

“No. Are they trying to keep you there? You’re an adult. They can’t do that. I’ll get Shitty and, and, and, my dad’s lawyers, and I’m going to fly up there and get you, ok? It’s like, false imprisonment or something to hold you. Or kidnapping maybe? IDK. But it’s illegal and I’m going to come get you.”

“Nurse, it’s not that-”

“Then what? Why wouldn’t you be able to come back? Did something happen with your scholarship? If it’s about paying for school, I’ll cover you-”

“Nurse-”

“Listen, I know you don’t like taking my money. But what else is it going to do? This is a good cause, okay. If it’s that important, then you can pay me back when you make the show, right?”

“Nurse-”

“I mean. Why would you even have a problem with your scholarship? Coach Hall wouldn’t drop you from the team. We need you. You’re the fastest skater we have. You get more takeaways than like, anybody. And you can’t have broken an NCAA rule. You’re too careful. I refuse to believe it. I’ll fight it. I’ll take it to the commission.”

“NURSE!” Dex finally had to resort to yelling through the phone.

“...Dex?”

“I didn’t lose my scholarship. I didn’t get kicked off the team. I’m not in trouble with the NCAA. My family is not holding me against my will. They are actually very excited to meet you. They’re mad I didn’t bring you for the holidays. You are invited to visit over the summer.”

“Oh. Chill.” There was a beat of silence. “Then why won’t you come back to me?”

“Derek….” Dex felt himself melt a little and he slouched back against the wall as he stared at the snow piling up against the windows. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. But...have you checked the weather lately?”

“Um, no. Not since I got back from the city.”

“Yeah, well, a big storm hit up here and everything’s shut down. There’s just too much snow. No planes, no trains, no busses, no cars, no boats. No way for me to get out of here and get to you.”

“Oh.” 

“Yeah. If there was a way I could make it, I would. You know that, right?”

It sounded like Nursey sniffled, but Dex didn’t say anything. 

“Ch’yeah. I mean. You could always hike it, right?”

“Sure. That’s an option. The roads will probably clear before I could make it hiking. I actually suggested putting a saddle on a moose and riding it down, but my ma threatened me if I tried.”

He smiled as the comment got a small laugh.

“You always say moose are dangerous.”

“Wicked dangerous. Worth it.”

“How long?”

Dex sighed and glanced over at the television screen with the news report still going. “Probably at least four days. Maybe a week.”

“Chill. We can make it that long. But you’ll owe me when you get here. And you have to skype me.”

“Ayuh. Deal.”


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 15 prompt: “That’s what I’m talking about!”

“That’s what I’m talking about!”

Derek looked up at him, keeping his body hunched over Will’s workbench. “What?”

“No no. Don’t you give me that wide-eyed, wicked faux innocent look. You know what.”

Derek continued to stare at him while unsubtly moving his hands and arms around a bit before he turned fully towards Will. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, William.”

“No idea, huh? So if I go over there right now, I won’t find any new, unauthorized, tools on my workbench or in the surrounding area?”

“Of course not. Me? Put new tools on your workbench?” Derek scoffed.

He narrowed his eyes and strode over to stand beside Derek. “Ok, actually, I don’t see anything new.”

“I told you.”

“Then what were you doing? Wait, why is my jigsaw over here?” Will picked up the tool, suspiciously only a short distance from Derek, and looked it over. It was definitely his jigsaw, the tiny engraved “WJN” was in the right spot. He turned and put it back into the correct location on the workbench.

When he looked back up, Derek was back to his wicked bad innocent look, this time with fidgety hands.

“Derek. Did you move my jigsaw?”

“Ok, fine. I took it to the store to see if they had a better model so I could upgrade it for you.”

Will groaned. “Babe. It’s a good saw. I don’t need an upgrade. Plus, they keep seeing you as an easy target and selling you overpriced crap.”

“Yeah, well. I’m not going back to that store anyway.” 

The vehemence in Derek’s voice surprised Will and he looked over. “Did they give you a hard time?” He knew what his own voice sounded like. He didn’t care.

“No. They were chill. Just, they tried to sell me on an upgrade as being safe. They said your saw was super dangerous.”

Will looked at him in shock. “It’s one of the safest models on the market.”

“I maybe am also not allowed back at that store. Because I maybe, just a tiny bit, possibly, yelled slightly, or not yelled, but used that rich guy voice you hate, about how there was no way in hell that my husband would have an unsafe tool anywhere in our house. They might have said something about coming back to them when one of us lost a finger and I might, possibly, have suggested that I already had a finger I could show them.”

“Babe….” Will allowed his head to drop onto Derek’s shoulder.

Derek’s arms instantly wound around him and they stood like that for a moment, just holding each other. 

“All my tools are excellent tools. I don’t need any upgrades.” 

“I just can’t believe someone would try to claim that about you.”

The laughter that bubbled up from Will’s belly was irrepressible. Once he finally managed to catch his breath, he nuzzled back into Derek’s neck. “Please stop trying to buy me new tools.”

“Fine. I guess I can’t trust any of these guys anyway. I just-” He broke off with a sigh. “I just want to give you nice things.”

Will straightened up and looked Derek in the eyes. “You already gave me the nicest thing. The nicest tool even.” The corner of his mouth quirked up in a smirk.

“Of all the. My own husband! You wound me!” Derek acted like he was trying to push away from Will while still holding him close at the hips. “I can’t believe I love you.”

Will leaned back in and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “Me neither. But I’m glad you do. Because I love you.”

“I love you.”

Will smiled and pressed their foreheads together. “Stop trying to buy me shit.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 16 Prompt: “Listen. No, really listen.”

“Listen. No, really listen.”

Nursey opened his mouth, but then stopped and tilted his head. “Chill. Yeah. I hear it too.”

They locked eyes and nodded before quickly pulling on coats and shoes and getting back up to the main floor of the house and out the door into the storm. Dex tucked a flashlight under his arm and clicked the other one on, hitting it against the palm of his other hand a couple of times to get the beam to stay on before handing it to Nursey. He repeated the process with the second flashlight and they stepped off the porch into the pouring rain.

“Which way do you think it came from?” 

Dex shrugged. “Storms can bounce sounds around weird. But let’s start near the side where my bungalow is.”

Nursey did finger guns in response and they tromped over in that direction, leaning into the wind and trying to shield their eyes from the rain. 

Dex figured they’d separate to look but Nursey stayed pretty close by, making sure two sets of eyes checked every potential den or bolt hole along the edge of the Haus. But it was when they were looking through the bushes against the fence that Nursey suddenly stopped and dropped low.

“Hey there. I’m not going to hurt you.” He used a low voice and made kissy noises while reaching into the foliage. 

Dex bit down on his tongue while images of rabid and feral animals flashed through his brain. Nursey was already reaching in and startling him at this point would just increase the danger. He slowly lowered down until he could see what Nursey was reaching for. 

A few minutes later, they were back in Dex’s bungalow toweling off and stripping down to change into dry, warm, sweats. Mama cat and three baby kittens were similarly dried and settled on a towel in Dex’s laundry basket, which was then pushed into a dim, quiet corner so that they wouldn’t be startled.

“Don’t they need a poo box?”

Dex blinked and stopped staring at the little furballs to catch the softest expression on Nursey’s face as he watched them. “Ayuh. I think Johnson had a cat for awhile when he lived here. I’ll check if he left a litter pan and litter.”

“I can’t believe we’re fathers already.”

He pressed a kiss against Nursey’s temple and stood up to check for the litter box while a smile played across his face.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 17 prompt: "There is just something about them/her/him."

“There is just something about him.”

“Are you kidding me right now, Poindexter?” Nursey was staring at him incredulously.

“What?”

“Chill. I guess I expected you to say Giada was your favorite. Most guys do.”

“Alton Brown is hot. I don’t have to explain myself.”

Nursey made some inarticulate noises and Dex shrugged and turned back to the Food Network.

“Well, thank you for trusting me enough to admit your guy celebrity crush. I’m glad you are secure enough in your masculinity to recognize other forms of attraction and speak them.” 

The laughter burst out before Dex could stop himself. It took a few minutes before he got himself under control enough to speak. “I’m sorry, it’s just. No. Nurse. I find him attractive in a gay way.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes, but Dex wasn’t reassured that the conversation was over. 

“Is it the fact he keeps referring to himself as Daddy?”

Dex sighed and let his chin drop to his chest. “No, Nurse. Cutthroat Kitchen is probably my least favorite of his shows. Good Eats was the best.”

“Why? That’s from so long ago.”

“He explained the science behind the cooking. I think it was that more than him being a good cook.”

“Oh. Chill.” 

The pause was shorter this time before Nursey leaned back in an excessively chill posture. “So, you like science guys, huh? You ever have a thing for Ransom?”

Dex sighed. “I don’t know, Nurse. Maybe for a minute? Yeah, he’s smart and he’s attractive. But it’s not like it’s just a science thing. It’s not even about being smart. It’s like, being passionate and interested in something and wanting to share that with the world.” He finished with a shrug to indicate that he wasn’t sure that really encapsulated everything but was the best he could do.

“So, it doesn’t have to be science? It could be math, or history?”

“Or art, or woodworking.” He paused and licked his lips. “Or poetry.” 

“Chill. Hey Dex?”

“Ayuh.”

“Do you want to go on a date this weekend?”

“Ayuh.”

“Chill.”

Dex nodded and reached over to take Nursey’s hand.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 18 Prompt: “Secrets? I love secrets.”

“Secrets? I love secrets.” Dex tried to keep any emotion out of his voice. His issues with secrets weren’t Nursey’s fault and Nursey shouldn’t have to deal with him about it.

It was an old trick that he’d picked up somewhere. He simply gave a little white lie and then he could spend the day feeling guilty about lying instead of worrying about what the secret could be. He didn’t need to visit the campus mental health clinic to know that the words “unhealthy coping mechanism” would get slapped onto that faster than he could blink. But it was better than dealing with what his mind would dream up on it’s own.

Because he knew. He did. He knew that Nursey wouldn’t talk shit about him behind his back. He knew Nursey wouldn’t tell even Chowder something bad about him. If Nursey had something to say about him, he’d chirp Dex to his face. That’s what they did. And if Nursey had an actual problem with him, he’d come to Dex directly and they’d talk it out.

So if Nursey was telling secrets to the rest of the team, it was _fine_. 

“Chill. I forgot about that.” Nursey dropped into Dex’s lap and wrapped his arms around Dex’s neck. “Do you want to know the secret, Dex?”

“It’s fine. You don’t have to tell me everything, Nurse.”

“Oh, but I want to tell you this, Dexy.”

“It’s really fine. It’s no big deal.” 

“Hmm. I disagree. Especially since I’ve already been fined by everyone on the team for it.” 

Dex rolled his eyes, but then Nursey leaned close and whispered in his ear.

“I love you, William Poindexter.”

Dex felt his cheeks and ear heat, but he turned his head to make sure his mouth was by Nursey’s ear. “I love you too, Derek Nurse.”

Nursey leaned back with an easy smile. “Worth every penny.”

“Wait, did you seriously go around and tell the whole team that you love me?”

“Chyeah. I think the sin bin has enough for a new dryer now.”

Dex let his head fall onto Nursey’s shoulder. “I told you not to buy it for me.”

“I _didn’t._”

Dex raised his head and looked at Nursey again before heaving a sigh. “I do love you.”


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 19 prompt: “Yes, I admit it, you were right.”

“Yes, I admit it, you were right.”

“What was that? I’m sorry. I just didn’t hear you.” Nursey was clearly trying to hold back a smile so it was pretty clear he had heard.

“I said you were right, dumbass.”

Nursey grinned in full. “I know, I just love hearing you say it.”

He pressed forward to capture Nursey’s smile in slow kiss. When he finally pulled back slightly, he rested with their foreheads pressed together. “Don’t get too used to it. I’m not willing to concede any other points just yet.”

Nursey hummed and nuzzled closer. “Yet, Poindexter.”

“Ayuh. The hotel was a good idea, but I’m assuming I’m only going to agree that you were right for as long as I don’t know how much this room cost, so. Enjoy it while it lasts.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I intend to.”

Somehow, Nursey managed to get even closer to Dex, wrapping a little bit more.

“Chill. So, what made you decide it was worth it?”

Dex closed his eyes with a sigh. Nursey had recently made it his mission to prove that Dex was secretly a sap and Dex was pretty sure that his answer was going to be used as proof that Nursey was right about that as well.

“The bed. We can cuddle and I don’t have to worry about you falling off and getting hurt.” He pressed his face into Nursey’s shoulder.

“Aw, Poindexter. You are a softy. Does this mean you’ll let me buy a king size bed for the bungalow?”

Dex pulled back and looked at him incredulously. “Was this whole trip a set up?”

“Of course not. This whole trip was so that I could have a weekend alone with my boyfriend in a nice hotel room where we didn’t have to leave the bed the entire time unless we wanted to and no members of the team could disturb us.” 

Dex relaxed slightly as Nursey kissed him. 

“But, if a bigger bed in the bungalow would be safer for me, then it only makes sense that I should buy one. It’s not for you, Dexy. It’s for my safety.”

Dex frowned as Nursey kissed his jaw. “Or I could just make you sleep in your own room again.”

“Would you really?”

“No.” He waited for a moment while Nursey returned to kissing him, down the neck now. “But the bed is going with us when we move out.”


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 20 Prompt: “You could talk about it, you know?”

“You could talk about it, you know?”

Nursey looked over at him and Dex fought the urge to look away or pretend he hadn’t said something. “Talk about what, Poindexter?”

He gestured. “The poem. Whatever about it is stuck or whatever.”

“Chill. Eloquent as always.”

The back of his neck heated and he knew he was blushing. “Whatever. You’ve been wicked focused on your poetry journal for the last three days and you’ve sighed heavily a fourteen times in the last hour before scratching something out.”

“Chyeah. It happens. You think you could help me make this poem work?”

Dex sighed and turned away. “Whatever. You’re right. I probably can’t. I didn’t necessarily mean me. Just. Sometimes explaining code to a rubber duck helps me get past a block. Thought maybe the same would be true for poetry. I should be at least as useful as a rubber duck.”

“Dammit, Poindexter.”

He turned back to see Nursey putting away his journal.

“What?”

“You are a great rubber duck. You made me realize I’m writing the wrong poem.”

“Oh. Ok.” 

“Plus, Ernie already wrote it better.”

Dex snorted. “Wicked unlikely, Nurse.”

“Rubber Duckie, you’re the one. You make bathtime lots of fun. Rubber Duckie I’m awfully fond of you.”

He groaned and put his head down on his desk. “I should have realized you were writing a poem to chirp me.”

Nursey’s voice went soft and hesitant. “Not chirp you. Ask you out.”

Dex sat up slowly and turned to look at him. “Yeah?”

“Chyeah.” 

“Well, ok. Yeah.”

“Chill.”

Dex rolled his eyes but couldn’t stop himself from returning Nursey’s smile.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 21 Prompt: “Change is annoyingly difficult.”

“Change is annoyingly difficult.”

“Chyeah.”

Dex sighed and pulled Nursey’s arm into his lap so that he could hold it. “Breaking your wrist wasn’t part of the plan.”

“Chill. It also wasn’t intentional.”

“Figures.” 

They fell silent and Dex focused on Nursey’s knuckles, running the pad of his thumb over them again and again. Nursey had the softest hands of anyone Dex had ever known. Like even his hockey gear knew better than to mar Nursey’s perfect skin. Nursey had laughed at him and called him a dork the one time he’d said it out loud, so he kept it to himself. He still thought it was probably true. 

The dozens of bottles of lotion and cream in the upstairs bathroom might also have something to do with it.

“Bully runs the plays. Just, runs the plays as written. Doesn’t improvise or try out random variances he thought up.”

“Chill.”

“It’s the worst.”

“You hate it when I improvise.”

“Never said that. I hate it when I don’t know where you’re going to be.”

“Oh.”

“It’s an expectations thing. I need to know where to expect you.”

“And now you do.”

“Ayuh. Usually. Until you do something like crash the boards.”

Nursey turned his hand over and laced their fingers together as best he could with the cast. “No. Now you do.”

Dex looked up to be met with Nursey pressing a kiss to his lips and reaching up to cradle his jaw with his good hand.

“Oh yeah. I do know that.”


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 22 prompt: “We could have a chance.”

“We could have a chance.”

“No way, Poindexter.”

Dex looked at Nursey. “Seriously. I think we could do it. We could make it happen.”

Maybe it was the tub juice talking. He normally didn’t drink it, but he’d had some and was feeling loose and sure of himself. He felt good. He felt confident. He believed in him and Nursey.

Nursey stared at him for another long moment before scratching at his beard. “I think you’re just tipsy.”

“Nope. I’m fine. And we _can_ do this.”

“You really want to try? Consequences be damned?”

“I really want to try, Nurse. You and me. We’re-” he broke off and made a gesture with his hands. He forgot to pay attention to exactly what gesture he was trying to make, but he was sure it indicated that they were solid.

Things got hazy quick after that.

When he woke up, there was soft light filtering through windows. He looked around blearily.

“Nurse?”

“Chyeah?” Nursey rolled closer and pressed his face into Dex’s shoulder. 

“Am I in your bed?”

“Chyeah.”

“Ok. Why am I in your bed?”

“Upstairs safer than downstairs.”

Dex considered that and couldn’t fault the logic since he didn’t remember getting up to bed at all. “What happened?”

“You thought we could take Cait and Mari at pong. Now shuddup and lemme sleep.”

That solved the mystery of why he didn’t remember the end of the kegster and why Nursey was grumpy with him, at least. It didn’t explain what would have possessed him to think they stood a chance against Caitlin and Mari at pong. Ollie and Wicky must have done something different to the tub juice. He’d probably have to swear it off again. 

At least he didn’t have anywhere to be. He wrapped his arms tighter around Nursey and pressed a kiss to his forehead before forcing the thoughts from his mind so he could sleep some more.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 23 prompt: “You can’t give more than yourself.”

“You can’t give more than yourself.”

“Only because you won’t let me.”

“Yeah yeah. I’m so mean.”

“You are. You really are. The meanest boyfriend that ever there was.”

Dex rolled his eyes. “First of all, I was being sweet and poetical and shit.”

“And shit.”

“Shush. Second of all, if I didn’t put a limit, what would a _nice_ boyfriend let you buy?”

“Chill? Like anything I wanted?”

“Ayuh.”

Dex watched Nursey’s face as he thought. If he was honest, he could watch Nursey all the time and never get bored. 

“Chill. A house. A car. A nice suit. All the tools you could possibly need or want. A lobster shaped gear bag. A new coat. That computer you were looking at the other day. A-”

“Stop.” Dex had to break in before Nursey really got going. Unfortunately, Nursey looked like he was going to pout. “Please.”

“You asked.”

“Ayuh. But any one of those is too much. I don’t need any of that.”

“It’s not about need.”

His brow furrowed as he ran the pad of his thumb over Nursey’s jaw. “You know I’m not with you because you can afford to buy me things, right?”

Nursey rolled his eyes, but leaned into Dex’s hand. “Painfully obvious, Poindexter. You won’t _let_ me buy you things.”

“I don’t want things. I don’t want your money. I want you.” He leaned forward so that their foreheads would press together.

“Chill, Dexy. I _know_. Why do you think I _want_ to buy you things?”

Dex blinked and then kissed Nursey firmly. “That’s wicked sweet, but there’s still going to be a spending limit.”

“Damn.”


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 24 prompt: “Patience...is not something I’m known for.”

“Patience...is not something I’m known for.”

Nursey burst out laughing. Which kind of killed the mood, so Dex rolled his eyes.

“Really, Nurse?”

“Sorry, it’s just how am I supposed to take that seriously? You just sat there and waited for nearly three years for me to ask you out. Patience is definitely something you’re known for.”

“That wasn’t patience.” Dex blushed and looked away. 

The bed dipped as Nursey finally climbed into it next to him. “Chill, Dexy. It’s not like that’s the only example. Do you want me to list them? I can list them for you.”

“Please don’t.” 

“Ok. Are you going to look at me now?”

Dex turned back to look at Nursey and then reached out to hold him close. “It’s weird when you’re near me and not touching me.”

“Chyeah.” 

“This isn’t a ‘Make Poindexter Feel Better About Himself’ session.”

“Chill. What is it?”

“It’s a Love My Boyfriend session.”

“Oh, I love those.”

“Ayuh. Me too. Why I was impatient to start.”

Nursey grinned and he pressed forward to capture the grin with a kiss.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 25 prompt: “I could really eat something.”

“I could really eat something.” Dex didn’t look at Nursey. Just because he’d decided to take the chance didn’t mean he wanted to watch as Nursey crushed him. “You wanna go to dinner? Jerry’s?”

There was a pause and Dex took a deep breath to steel himself for the rejection.

“Chill. My treat, though.”

“I asked, so it would be my treat.”

“Chyeah, but see. I called it first. So, it’s my treat.”

Dex turned and started walking towards Jerry’s and Nursey quickly fell in beside him.

“Except that it’s not.”

“Chill. It definitely is.”

“I want to make sure this is clear. I’m asking you out on a date, here. Not as friends grabbing food, or line partners bonding. But like, a date. So, if you want to go out with me, that’s wicked great, but it would definitely be my treat.”

“Poindexter, it could literally not have been more clear that you were asking me out on a date. I got that. But I’m still paying for it.”

“No. You want to pay for a date, you have to ask me out. That’s how it works.”

“That’s how it works, huh?”

“Ayuh.”

“Says who?”

Dex sputtered. “Says everyone!”

“Well, I didn’t agree to that.”

“Do you want to go out with me or not?”

“Chyeah.”

“Ok.”

They walked in silence for a few feet.

“Do you want to hold hands?”

“Chyeah.”


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 26 Prompt: “You keep me warm.”

“You keep me warm.”

It wasn’t technically literally true. Generally speaking, it was Dex making sure they were bundled properly. That Nursey had an actual scarf instead of a thin hipster scarf that wouldn’t protect him. Stowing extra gloves in the pockets of his coat in case Nursey forgot. 

Nursey had survived 18 years before they met, so presumably, he’d managed to survive without Dex’s assistance. Dex just hated for him to have to suffer if Dex could prevent it with a spare scarf or an extra pair of gloves.

It had been difficult to explain when they’d discussed it. 

Dex had a feeling this would be even more difficult to explain.

Nursey wiggled and squeezed tighter around him. “You keep me warm, too.”

Dex sighed against Nursey’s skin. “But like, my heart. My soul.”

“Chyeah. Exactly.”

Maybe it wouldn’t be more difficult to explain.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 27 prompt: “Can you wait for me?”

“Can you wait for me?”

“That’s what I’m doing, Poindexter.”

Dex looked up, but Nursey’s expression was as indecipherable as ever. Still, something in his tone seemed different.

“Thanks. I’ll just be a few minutes. I’ll make it quick.”

He shouldn’t read anything into Nursey’s comment. Nursey was just trying to sound cool again.

He shouldn’t spend five minutes looking at the picked over flower arrangements available on Valentine’s Day at a grocery store. Nursey would be used to expensive arrangements from an actual florist. Dozens of roses, not a single, half-wilted rose in a tiny vase.

He shouldn’t nearly forget to get what he went to the store for in the first place because his eyes caught on the heart shaped boxes of chocolates. It was a well known fact that those were never good.

He managed to complete his shopping without forgetting anything and without spending all of his money on cheap gifts that Nursey would just laugh at anyway.

When he got back outside, Nursey was waiting, as promised. 

He shoved a bag in Nursey’s hands. “Here. It’s. It’s stupid. Whatever. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

“You already got me a present, Poindexter.”

The noise that Dex made in the back of his throat might be described as high and keening, but he would just call it horrible. He grit his teeth together and forced his vocal cords back under control. 

“That was for your birthday. This is for Valentine’s Day. I told you. It’s stupid. Don’t worry about it. Actually, here. I’ll return it.”

Nursey turned to pull the bag out of Dex’s reach. “No. It’s my gift.”

Dex groaned and leaned back against the wall of the store with his eyes closed, waiting for the earth to swallow him.

“Be Mine-atee? Oh, chill, there’s a card too. Stop waiting.”

Dex banged his head against the wall. He’d read it wrong. He’d heard what he wanted to hear. He’d fucked everything up. Nursey was going to chirp him. Nursey was going to laugh. Nursey was going to hate him.

Nursey was touching his cheek gently and standing close without boxing him in. 

“Poindexter, can I?”

Dex didn’t open his eyes. He had to be dreaming. If he opened his eyes, he’d see the truth instead of this fantasy. He nodded.

Nursey’s lips slid over his and a hand wrapped around to clutch at the flannel at the small of his back. 

When Nursey pulled away, he leaned forward, unwilling to relinquish the moment before he had to.

“The manatee was a good call. Chill bros of the sea.”

Dex nodded. 

“Are we staying here then?” He heard Nursey move around and felt Nursey’s arm press against his as Nursey joined him leaning against the wall.

It was time to face the truth. He opened his eyes. 

Everything stayed the same.

“You’re still going to cook me a birthday dinner, right?”

“Ayuh.”

“Good. I’ve got some candles we can use.”

Dex snorted and shook his head.

“Chill. We don’t have to.”

“No. It’s just. Really? This whole time? I was waiting on you and you were waiting on me.”

“Oh, chyeah. Guess so.”


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 28 prompt: “Enough! I heard enough.”

“Enough! I heard enough.”

Nursey opened his mouth to argue again and Dex held up his hand. 

“No, Nurse. Don’t give me excuses. I know what I heard and I heard enough.”

He took a deep breath. He knew that his friends talked about him when he wasn’t there sometimes. During the dark times, he suspected it occurred a lot, and imagined it had quite a bit of discussion about actually hating him and not understanding why he wouldn’t just go away. Mostly that didn’t happen with Chowder and Nursey. Because he couldn’t imagine Chowder actually wanting anyone to go away without being willing to just walk away himself, and he couldn’t imagine Nursey refraining from telling him to get lost just to spare his feelings.

So yeah, he’d been pretty sure that his friends tolerated him fairly well. He just never expected to accidentally overhear Nursey say how he really felt. He knew Nursey pretended to be chill. But the idea that he was hiding that much from Dex, it was a lot to take in.

“Listen, I came up here to ask if I left my winter hat when I moved to the basement.”

“Oh, chill. Just a sec.” 

Nursey disappeared into the room and Dex stayed in the hall. He hadn’t been invited in and it wasn’t his room anymore. It only took a minute for Nursey to return with the crochet beanie. 

“Hey, seriously-”

“Stop. It’s fine. Don’t make it weird.”

Nursey pressed his lips together and nodded.

“I’ve got to get to lab, but I’ll pick you up at eight.”

“What?”

“I told you, I heard enough. But, uh, dinner first? Then kissing?”

“Oh! Chill! Yeah, ok. Yeah, that’s chill.” Nursey was starting to smile and Dex returned it.

“I do really have lab though, so I’ll see you tonight.”

“Eight. I’ll be ready.”


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 29 prompt: “I’m doing this for you.”
> 
> Inspired by [this tumblr post](https://teratomatastic.tumblr.com/post/188666439935/robot-hands-mccoolguy-sparkafterdark).

“I’m doing this for you.”

Nursey grinned and nodded.

“Cait is going to kill me.” Dex sighed and started stretching.

“I’ll take the blame.”

“No. You might have started it. But she’s not going to believe that you forced me to do this. I’ll just have to live with the fallout.”

Once he was sure he was well stretched and ready, he re-measured the distance between the walls.

“Ok. Be ready. It’s been awhile since I’ve done this and I don’t know for sure how long I’ll be able to hold it.”

“I got you, babe. Kiss first.” 

Nursey leaned forward and Dex turned to press a quick kiss to his lips. 

Very carefully, he climbed the walls until he was about three and a half feet off the ground, just above the doorknobs. Once he was positioned with his shoulders and arms bracing him on one side and his feet on the other, he let out a breath.

“Ok, mug and book.”

Nursey handed them over and then backed up again, picking up his phone and preparing for the picture. 

Dex nodded and carefully moved his right foot to cross it over his left knee, letting the mug in his right hand rest on his thigh. Then he lifted his left forearm enough that he could see the book that he was holding open in that hand. He was pretty sure that he wasn’t going to slip, but it was a lot of strain on just the one leg, so he hoped Nursey would take the picture quickly. 

Just for good measure, he lifted the mug and took a sip before resting it against his thigh again. 

“Ok, babe. I got it.” Nursey was back at his side, taking the mug and the book.

Dex stopped pressing against the walls and swung himself so that he mostly landed upright on his feet. The dismount would actually have been easier higher up, but he had limited options for spaces the right width.

He was nearly instantly draped in Nursey and he couldn’t help but smile. 

“Did you get a good picture?”

“Chyeah. A few.”

“Great.” 

They spent a couple of minutes picking out the best picture to send, then Dex sent it to the Frogs+ group chat along with a caption to reply to Cait’s “Get on my level boys.”

> Unfortunately to “get on your level” I’d need a boat trip to the Mariana Trench and a pair of cinderblock shoes.

“I can’t believe you started a competition to see who could do the most impressive wall sit.”

“Technically, I didn’t start the competition. I just posted a picture of me balanced between walls. C started the competition when he said mine wasn’t impressive and tried to one up me.”

Dex rolled his eyes. “And after Cait did it in heels you decided to ask me to join. I never should have told you that my uncle tried to get me to be a competitive gymnast before I got serious about hockey.”

“IDK, babe. That was mad hot.” Nursey punctuated the statement with a kiss to his neck, just below his ear. 

“Oh, yeah?”

“Ch’yeah.”

Dex turned and lifted Nursey off the ground. “Want to see what else I can still do?”

He didn’t wait for an answer, Nursey’s grin said it all.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 30 prompt: “I’m with you, you know that.”

“I’m with you, you know that.”

“I do.”

Dex leaned his head against Nursey’s. “I’m with you because I want to be with you. You know that, too.”

“Chyeah.”

“I’d have to be a complete idiot to intentionally sabotage this.”

Nursey didn’t respond to that, just held him tighter.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“Chill.”

Dex wrapped his arms over Nursey’s and rubbed at Nursey’s skin with a sigh. “Do you know why I love you?”

“Couldn’t help it because I’m so awesome?”

Dex bit back a laugh. “No. You are awesome. But I didn’t have to love you. I love you on purpose, you doofus.”

“Oh. But that means you could choose to stop loving me.”

“There’s nothing else I want to do more. One day, you’ll move on, and I’ll get over you eventually. But, right now. Today. Tonight. Here in this place. I choose you. I’m going to choose you until you stop choosing me.”

Nursey made a noise against his cheek, but it didn’t sound like words.

“I know there are other options. I’m not blind. But I’m also not stupid. Ok. I’m not losing you. I’m especially not losing you over some LAX bro.”

“I know. I just-” He broke off with a sigh that gusted over Dex’s ear. “I just hate seeing some other guy trying to touch you.”

“I think your koala impression made him realize I wasn’t going to change my mind.” 

He could feel Nursey’s responding smile. 

“And the kiss definitely underscored the message. And don’t get me wrong, I loved every second of it.”

“Damn right.”

“Just, don’t feel like you have to.”

“Working on it.”

“If I do something that makes you feel like that, tell me.” Dex turned and looked in Nursey’s eyes. “Because I want you to feel loved.”

Instead of replying, Nursey captured Dex’s mouth in another heated and sloppy kiss that Dex returned enthusiastically before pulling back just a bit.

“Maybe we should continue this in one of our rooms.”


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 31 prompt: “Scared, me?”

“Scared, me?”

“Chyeah. You, Poindexter.”

Dex continued staring at the corner of the room. He squeezed Nursey’s hand reassuringly. Or Nursey squeezed his hand in pain. It was getting difficult to tell who was squeezing whose hand.

“Why would I be scared?”

“IDK, bro. But you’re holding my hand, so I can kind of feel you trembling.”

“Oh. Sorry.” Dex tried to pull his hand back, but that time it was definitely Nursey holding it tighter.

“I definitely didn’t say you were getting your hand back. I need it, Dexy. I’m in pain.”

Dex glanced over, just long enough to see the absolutely comical pout expression that Nursey was giving him.

“Have the meds not kicked in yet?”

“Nah. They definitely have. It’s chill.”

Dex nodded and returned to staring at the corner.

“Seriously, Will. What’s wrong? You didn’t have to argue with the doctor about x-rays or pain meds. I’m gonna get cool cast. We’ve gotten nothing but good news.”

“Good news? Your wrist is broken, Derek.”

“Chyeah, but only a little. It’ll be healed in a few months.”

“Hockey careers have ended over broken wrists.”

“So?”

“So, my boyfriend, who happens to be a D1 hockey player, an amazing D1 hockey player, just broke his wrist and it could have meant the end of his hockey career, knocking him off the team.”

“Oh.”

Dex nodded, but then Nursey pulled on his hand until he turned and Nursey could cuddle him as much as possible.

“You’re one of those people. Solid as a rock until the danger has passed, and then you have to deal with all the worry you suppressed.”

Dex tried to reply, but he couldn’t really talk because his face was buried in Nursey’s shoulder.

“Some people’s hockey careers end with a broken wrist. But mine isn’t going to. I’ll be on the ice with you again in just a few months.”

Dex finally managed to wiggle around so that he could speak. “You shouldn’t be comforting me.”

“Shut up. I do what I want. Let me love you.” Nursey paused only briefly for Dex’s consenting nod. “Would you stop loving me if I couldn’t play hockey ever again?”

“Of course not.” It was one of the most absurd things he’d ever heard, which was saying something since he spent a lot of time with Nursey.

“Then even if it had meant the end of hockey for me, I wouldn’t really care. Hockey’s fun. I like it, but it’s not my passion or anything.”

Dex wasn’t sure what to say to that. He knew Nursey didn’t need to play in the NHL for money. He even knew that Nursey preferred poetry to hockey. But he was pretty sure Nursey would be at least a little upset if he couldn’t play hockey at all. And there was no way he was going to call his boyfriend a liar right then, either. Because they definitely had an agreement about lying. Which meant, Nursey believed what he was saying. That had to be good enough. That was good enough.

Dex sighed. “I just worry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hah. finished. only a day late. :D

**Author's Note:**

> Find me at tumbls at [SexyDexyNurse](https://sexydexynurse.tumblr.com/)


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